Alright, I just got a tank a little over a week ago. After letting it cycle and adding some of my other tanks water and play sand substrate I went to the store to buy plants. I came home with java fern, amazon swords and jungle Val. My java fern are just fine but the Val and swords are all turning brown. Help?(I'm at school right now so ill post pictures later)

Byron

05-13-2013 11:19 AM

We will need some more data. And the photos later will help.

What is the GH of your tap water? You can ascertain this from the municipal water people, they probably have a website. Post the link if you can't figure it out.

Are you using any fertilizers, and if so, which and how often?

What is your light? Be specific.

Initial browning on new plants is rather common, but we need to be certain it is just this and not an on-going issue, hence the above questions.

Byron.

Emerald Terror

05-13-2013 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Byron
(Post 2036986)

We will need some more data. And the photos later will help.

What is the GH of your tap water? You can ascertain this from the municipal water people, they probably have a website. Post the link if you can't figure it out.

Are you using any fertilizers, and if so, which and how often?

What is your light? Be specific.

Initial browning on new plants is rather common, but we need to be certain it is just this and not an on-going issue, hence the above questions.

Byron.

My tank ph is 7.1 ATM had my brother test it. I'm using Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquariums to ferlitlize and ive done it twoce in the first dive days with the plants.(so probably twice a week)My lights are Lighting Coralife 48 Inch Aqualight With 2-65W Actinic / 2-65W 10,000K Lamp Straight Pin Base (with fans). Oh and I had a fluval 305 filter.

jentralala

05-13-2013 04:32 PM

Ah, there's your problem. Looks to me like you don't have the right kind of lighting, unfortunately. You'd be best to switch the bulbs with something in the 5000k-7000k spectrum (6,700k is what I get a lot of success from, personally). I think a lot of people use 'Life-Glo' bulbs for T8 fixtures (Are the bulbs T8s or T5s? HO or NO? I'm having a hard time finding the specific fixture you're using, seems to be a few varieties of it)...Plants don't like actinic lights, those are more geared towards saltwater.

Also...are you saying you have 4 bulbs on your tank? Or 2? A bit confused there :-?

Byron

05-13-2013 04:36 PM

The pH is fine, but we do need to know the GH (general hardness) as this is the prime source of the "hard" minerals like calcium and magnesium that are essential to plants. Have a look at your municipality's water supply website for this, no need to waste money on a test kit just for GH.

The light could be improved, long-term. Actinic tubes are not the best for plants, these tubes are designed for salt water tanks that need the blue more. Replacing the tubes is simple enough. Coralife makes a 6700K Lamp that is ideal. The Daylight 10,000K tube is OK as a second tube with the other.

Can you only use two of the four tubes? The issue here is that this is a lot of light intensity, and you will almost certainly have algae issues.

Is this it? I can't find the bulb size on here, and I'm wondering if the bulbs are even replaceable?

Nope there not but I can turn two of them on rather then all 4 and how do you tell GH

Byron

05-13-2013 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emerald Terror
(Post 2039962)

Nope there not but I can turn two of them on rather then all 4 and how do you tell GH

Of the tubes mentioned, the 10,000K Daylight will be the best. So they cannot be taken out and replaced? What happens when they burn out (as all tubes do eventually)?

GH you can ascertain from your municipal water people, they likely have a website. If you find it and can't figure it out, as these water data charts are sometimes confusing to many of us, post the link and one of us will look.

Byron.

Emerald Terror

05-13-2013 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Byron
(Post 2040330)

Of the tubes mentioned, the 10,000K Daylight will be the best. So they cannot be taken out and replaced? What happens when they burn out (as all tubes do eventually)?

GH you can ascertain from your municipal water people, they likely have a website. If you find it and can't figure it out, as these water data charts are sometimes confusing to many of us, post the link and one of us will look.

Byron.

Can't find water charts for San Diego and ill check my lights when I get home

Byron

05-13-2013 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emerald Terror
(Post 2040754)

Can't find water charts for San Diego and ill check my lights when I get home